The Rainy River District Social Services Administration Board continues to face staffing challenges.

Its land ambulance service is one area in need.

Chief Administrative Officer Dan McCormick says the recruiting of paramedics has become difficult because they are in high demand everywhere.

“With the high retirements right now, particularly in southern Ontario, we’re seeing each service down there, Niagara, Toronto, York, Durham, Peel, looking for 100 plus paramedics annually,” says McCormick.

He says with employment opportunities so abundant in the south, very few of those graduates are willing to move to the north.

He adds the number of graduates from northern Ontario programs isn’t enough to meet the demands of the ambulance services in northwestern Ontario.

Early Childhood Educators are another area where the DSSAB needs more.

McCormick says there are just not enough graduates available either.

“We could use lots of them right now just to get to our operating capacity.”

McCormick says they are working with the province in hopes of resolving the shortage.